City of Skopje marks 80th anniversary of formation of First Skopje Partisan Unit
Skopje, 23 August 2021 (MIA) – The formation of First Skopje Partisan Unit is a significant event in the history of the country and the capital. It’s establishment on 22 August 1941 was an act of bravery, decisiveness and compassion on the part of 12 people ready to give their lives for freedom, starting a fight against the fascists, Skopje mayor Petre Shilegov said on Monday at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the formation of the First Skopje Partisan Unit.
The group grew from the original 12 to 42 members, all with different ethnic backgrounds, united by a single idea – freedom, a single anti-fascist mission – defeating the fascist enemy, Shilegov stressed. The pre-partisan period was marked by diversion-causing missions.
“The members of Skopje’s diversion groups formed the core of the First Skopje Partisan Unit. Let us once more thank for their heroism: Chedomir Milenkovikj, Dane Krapchev, Bote Bocevski, Nevena Georgieva – Dunja, Rade Jovchevski – Koracagin, Blagoj Despotovski – Shovelj, Sterjo Krango – Ducho, Boro Onchevski, Boro Trajkovski – Gjuro, Aco Smilkovski, Pavle Momchilovikj and Svetozar Tomikj. Of the 42 members of the unit, 17 were killed during the war. Three of them, Aleksandar Urdarevski, Rade Jovchevski – Korchagin and Boro Petrushevski, were declared national heroes. So, dear people of Skopje, we have nothing to be ashamed of and must always remember our history with pride. Meanwhile, some of our neighbors who in the past often found themselves on the wrong side, tried to erase parts of their history by attempting to intervene in ours, forgetting that by negating our anti-fascist struggle they were negating their own anti-fascist fighters,” Shilegov noted.
Cherishing the traditions of the National Liberation War and preserving the advantages of revolution, he added, is our debt to the patriotism, courage and sacrifice of all fighters.
Defence Minister Radmila Shekerinska said that the establishment of First Skopje Partisan Unit gave birth to the National Liberation Movement and the formation of the Mirche Acev Battalion, which is considered the first regular military unit in the country and the predecessor of the Macedonian Army.
“The existence of our modern army – a member of the most powerful military and political alliance is a debt we carried for three decades to these people, the members of the Skopje Partisan Unit. They are our history and inspiration to be on the right side, to show that as a new generation we are prepared for new challenges, as different times bring on different issues and hardships. They defended the country, established it and put themselves into the pillars of our statehood and independence, while we continue to build it and put it on the international map. This is also a struggle, as we saw in the past 30 years, a hard and at times uncertain fight,” Shekerinska said.
They, she added, had a dream to be a part of a progressive world, which they achieved by establishing the country. We built on that dream, placing our homeland on the map of progressive countries that are today on the right side of history, by joining the most powerful military and political alliance in history, alongside 29 other countries, many of which were our allies in World War II.
Today, the Minister stressed, anti-fascism and patriotism are often put to the test, while modern patriotic struggles include respect for and continued practice of the values of anti-fascism – freedom, democracy and equal rights for all.
Union of Fighters representative Naum Burevski and Karposh Municipality mayor Stefan Bogoev also addressed the event, which started with a wreath-laying ceremony and also included the screening of the film ‘The Liberation of Skopje’ directed by Rade and Danilo Šerbedžija.
“The members of Skopje’s diversion groups formed the core of the First Skopje Partisan Unit. Let us once more thank for their heroism: Chedomir Milenkovikj, Dane Krapchev, Bote Bocevski, Nevena Georgieva – Dunja, Rade Jovchevski – Koracagin, Blagoj Despotovski – Shovelj, Sterjo Krango – Ducho, Boro Onchevski, Boro Trajkovski – Gjuro, Aco Smilkovski, Pavle Momchilovikj and Svetozar Tomikj. Of the 42 members of the unit, 17 were killed during the war. Three of them, Aleksandar Urdarevski, Rade Jovchevski – Korchagin and Boro Petrushevski, were declared national heroes. So, dear people of Skopje, we have nothing to be ashamed of and must always remember our history with pride. Meanwhile, some of our neighbors who in the past often found themselves on the wrong side, tried to erase parts of their history by attempting to intervene in ours, forgetting that by negating our anti-fascist struggle they were negating their own anti-fascist fighters,” Shilegov noted.
Cherishing the traditions of the National Liberation War and preserving the advantages of revolution, he added, is our debt to the patriotism, courage and sacrifice of all fighters.
Defence Minister Radmila Shekerinska said that the establishment of First Skopje Partisan Unit gave birth to the National Liberation Movement and the formation of the Mirche Acev Battalion, which is considered the first regular military unit in the country and the predecessor of the Macedonian Army.
“The existence of our modern army – a member of the most powerful military and political alliance is a debt we carried for three decades to these people, the members of the Skopje Partisan Unit. They are our history and inspiration to be on the right side, to show that as a new generation we are prepared for new challenges, as different times bring on different issues and hardships. They defended the country, established it and put themselves into the pillars of our statehood and independence, while we continue to build it and put it on the international map. This is also a struggle, as we saw in the past 30 years, a hard and at times uncertain fight,” Shekerinska said.
They, she added, had a dream to be a part of a progressive world, which they achieved by establishing the country. We built on that dream, placing our homeland on the map of progressive countries that are today on the right side of history, by joining the most powerful military and political alliance in history, alongside 29 other countries, many of which were our allies in World War II.
Today, the Minister stressed, anti-fascism and patriotism are often put to the test, while modern patriotic struggles include respect for and continued practice of the values of anti-fascism – freedom, democracy and equal rights for all.
Union of Fighters representative Naum Burevski and Karposh Municipality mayor Stefan Bogoev also addressed the event, which started with a wreath-laying ceremony and also included the screening of the film ‘The Liberation of Skopje’ directed by Rade and Danilo Šerbedžija.
